This is a VERY interesting topic to me. Although I do not want to think of any long-term effects that my history has created....I do think it is important for longevity. This also reminds me that my PCP had an EKG done on me at my first appointment with him after having PE with my first child. I did not end up with chronic htn the first time (I did with the second)--at the time I thought he was crazy and overreacting. Now I am glad that I have a baseline EKG to go by (everything was normal). I will be watching for this forum :)

Little late on this, but I would agree. I am done being pregnant, but with having PE (or at least PIH) 3 times, I am definitely interested in knowing affects in the future. I don't have continued high BP, but my mom has ever since she was pregnant 30+ years ago (not sure if she had PE though). My grandma died of heart issues.

Although hesitant, because ignorance is bliss to me (:P) and I hope that my PE experiences have not had any negative affects on my heart, it would be an interesting thread...even if it forces me to think of things I would rather keep tucked away!

I try to raise awareness, everywhere I can, and when we have a pregnant patient (or immediately post-partum), I try to take that patient for the type of testing that I do, and remind the doctors (if they forget...we have a large perinatal service and a number of cardiologists, so they're pretty good).

Some of what I see in the literature seems to suggest that all the blood vessel changes reverse completely. But we know that "remodeling" does go on, and some of those changes are permanent. And anecdotally, it does make a difference. I see too many women here reporting problems with hypertension and other issues not to think that it makes a difference.

FWIW, I never had hypertension problems before pregnancy, and didn't really have it during pregnancy, either, other than what I called "flash" hypertension, where it would elevate briefly. It never went really high, either. But I had claudication (arterial spasms) severe lymphedema, and hyperreflexia, and to this day I have claudication in the same spots.

And the question arises: do I have this looked into? I'm 52, on very low-dose estrogen following hysterectomy, and I'm concerned about my cardiac risk factors. So anything I can find out that supports early screening in our population, if nothing else but to convince the insurers to pay for it, can help all those of you with young children and questions about your future.

Audrey, I'm with you. I know that there is growing recognition in the medical community that a bout of preeclampsia is a significant risk factor for future cardiovascular disease for all sufferers, chronic hypertensives or not. Caryn is doing an awesome job tracking the newest publications etc, but for now this is more "cutting edge" than "standard of care".